News

Turkish Aerospace Delivers First F-35 Fuselage

12/18/2013

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Northrop Grumman F-35 subcontractor Turkish
Aerospace delivered the first Lightning II center fuselage built on its line in
Ankara, Turkey, last week, announced
Northrop Grumman.The fuselage—destined
to become a US Air Force F-35A—will now be shipped to prime contractor Lockheed
Martin's facility in Fort Worth, Tex., for mating with other major assemblies
and completion. "Turkish Aerospace Industries
has played an integral part in the development and production of the F-35 for
more than a decade," said Steve O'Bryan, vice president of F-35 program
integration and business development for Lockheed Martin. "The delivery of
the first center fuselage today marks a key milestone for the program and
TAI." Once full rate F-35 production begins, the company will
eventually churn out a fuselage every 10 days bound for US, Turkish, and
Italian strike fighters, according to the release.